KYUHEIKAN!

18 September 1936:
Koyagi Island, Nagasaki. Matsuo shipyard receives an order for construction of three ice-resistant freighters from the Soviet trade representation as payment for the purchase of the north Southern Manchuria Railway. [1]

31 October 1936:
Koyagi. Laid down at the newly renamed Kawaminami Shipyard.

16 February 1938:
Launched as the Soviet VOLOCHAEVETS, but because of increased tensions between Japan and the Soviet Union, the contract is later canceled midway into construction.

10 June 1938:
Completed as a civilian ice-breaking cargo freighter for the Tatsunan Kisen Co. and renamed CHIRYO MARU.

July 1939:
CHIRYO MARU is chartered by the Kuribayasi Steam Ship Co. and visits Otaru.

4 June 1940:
Tokyo. Ishikawajima shipyard. Completes remodeling construction as an ammunition ship. SOYA is also equipped to function as a survey ship. Fitted with an 80-mm gun in the bow and a Type 96 25mm AA gun in the stern. Cdr Yamada is the Commanding Officer.

30 March 1942:
At dawn arrives at Shortland Anchorage. CruDiv 6's AOBA, FURUTAKA, KINUGASA and KAKO and CruDiv 18's TENRYU and TATSUTA and four destroyers cover the invasion landings at Shortland. SOYA departs a later in the day.

31 March 1942:
At dawn arrives at Kieta Harbor, Bougainville. CruDivs 6 and 18 and four destroyers cover the invasion landings. SOYA departs later in the day.

1 April 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.

7 April 1942:
SOYA is in North Western New Britain Mopping-up Force. Departs Rabaul and arrives at Talasea (E coast of Willaumez Peninsula, N central New Britain).

8 April 1942:
Departs Talasea.

11 April 1942:
Stops at Talasea.

12 April 1942:
Returns at Rabaul.

15 April 1942:
Departs Rabaul.

16 April 1942:
Arrives at Duke of York Islands.

24 April 1942:
Departs Duke of York Islands and arrives at Rabaul.

26 April 1942:
Departs Rabaul.

27 April 1942:
Arrives at Massawa Bay.

1 May 1942:
Departs Massava Bay and arrives at Rabaul.

8 May 1942: Operation “MO” – The Invasions of Tulagi and Port Moresby:
Departs Rabaul to participates in the Port Moresby operation, but the Battle of the Coral Sea halts the Japanese thrust and they are forced to cancel Operation MO. Returns to Rabaul.

Rabaul. That same day, agressive Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi (38)(former CO of KIRISHIMA), CINC of the newly created Eighth Fleet, dispatches SOYA and transport MEIYO MARU to Guadalcanal carrying 519 men of 5th Sasebo Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF), 3rd and 5th Kure SNLFs and the 81st Guard Unit escorted by minelayer TSUGARU and two small escorts to repel the invasion.

8 August 1942:
After the Japanese learn more of the size of the American landing force, Admiral Mikawa recalls SOYA and her group to Rabaul.

9 August 1942:
14 miles W of Cape St. George, New Britain. Just after midnight, the convoy is attacked by LtCdr (later Captain) Henry G. Munson's (USNA ‘32) old USS S-38 at 04-50S, 152-40E. Munson torpedoes and sinks MEIYO MARU taking down 342 troops and 31 crewmen, but SOYA and TSUGARU clear the area undamaged.

28 September 1942:
Departs Mowe anchorage and later that day arrives at Rabaul.

4 October 1942:
Departs Rabaul.

5 October 1942:
Arrives at Buin. Engages in surveys in the area.

28 November 1942:
At 1600 departs Rabaul for Shortland in a convoy also consisting of KOA and YASUJIMA MARUs escorted by minelayer HATSUTAKA.

30 November 1942:
At 1547 arrives at Buin, Shortland.

18 January 1943:
Queen Carola Channel, off New Britain. At about 0500, LtCdr James D. Grant’s (USNA ‘31) USS GREENLING (SS-213) torpedoes SOYA at 02-04S, 150-37E, but some of the torpedoes are duds and the others prematurely explode causing no damage. SOYA’s crew hoists a dud Mark 14-3A torpedo up to her deck as a war trophy. [2]

9 April 1943:
Escorted by CH-30, SOYA undertakes a survey of the northern mouth of Shortland Bay.

18 February 1944:
While escaping, SOYA runs aground on a large coral head E of Dublon Island, Truk. Stranded, she is exposed to strafing and bombing attacks, but suffers minor damage. Still, 10 crew members are KIA.

9 August 1945:
Onagawa Bay, NE Honshu. SOYA, kaibokan AMAKUSA and INAGI, minesweeper W-33, target ship OHAMA and subchaser CH-42 are at anchor when they are attacked by F-4U Mark IV "Corsair" fighter-bombers of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Sir Bernard J. Rawlings, RN, Task Force 37’s (British Pacific
Fleet) carrier HMS FORMIDABLE. A 500-lb bomb dropped by the lead pilot of HMS FORMIDABLE’s 1841st Squadron flight of Corsairs, Lt Robert H. Gray, RCNVR, hits AMAKUSA below the after gun turret, explodes the ammunition locker, and blows out the starboard side of the ship. AMAKUSA capsizes to starboard and sinks in shallow water at 38-26N, 141-30E. Seventy-one sailors, including all members of her "black gang" are KIA.

INAGI takes a direct bomb hit to her aft deck that wrecks the engine room. She takes on a steep list to starboard and sinks that evening. Twenty-nine crewmen are KIA and 35 seriously wounded.

Kaibokan OHAMA is also sunk with unknown casualties.

During the attack, Lt Robert H. Gray, RCNVR, lead pilot of FORMIDABLE’s 1841st Squadron flight of Corsairs, sinks his target, a "destroyer", but is brought down by heavy AA fire and crashes flames. Gray is posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the fourth and last Commonwealth naval airman to be so honored.

Nagasaki. That same day, the CO of the 393rd Bomb Squadron of the 509th Composite Group, Major (later Brig Gen, ANG) Charles W. Sweeney, piloting a B-29 nicknamed "BOCKSCAR", drops "Fat Man", the second atomic bomb.

15 August 1945:
Muroran, Hokkaido. SOYA’s crew is notified that Japan has accepted the Potsdam declaration and agreed to an end of hostilities and “unconditional” surrender.

23 August 1945:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

5 September 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

27 September 1945:
Completes demilitarization. All guns are removed and temporary inside hold accommodation and additional toilet places are installed for evacuees

1 October 1945:
Transferred to the Department of Finance.

6 October 1945:
Departs Uraga on her first repatriation voyage.

14 October 1945:
Arrives at Yap. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.

17 October 1945:
Departs Yap.

23 October 1945:
Arrives at Uraga. Disembarks troops and passengers.

24 October 1945-14 November 1945:
Undergoes repairs at Uraga.

20 November 1945:
Departs Uraga.

26 November 1945:
Arrives at Guam. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later the same day.

30 November 1945:
Arrives at Tinian. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.

1 December 1945:
Departs Tinian. That same day, she is officially assigned to the Allied Repatriation Service as a demobilization transport. [3]

10 December 1945:
Arrives at Otaka and departs later that day.

12 December 1945:
Arrives at Kure.

26 December 1945:
Departs Kure.

31 December 1945:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.

1 January 1946:
Departs Shanghai.

5 January 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers. Later that day docked. Undergoes repairs.

10 January 1946:
Repairs are completed. Departs Kagoshima.

13 January 1946:
Arrives at Kirun and departs later that day.

16 January 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.

28 January 1946-14 February 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Uraga Dockyard.

15 February 1946:
Departs Uraga.

24 February 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.

25 February 1946 :
Departs Kirun.

1 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.

4-13 March 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Sasebo Naval Dockyard.

16 March 1946:
Departs Sasebo.

20 March 1946:
Arrives at Takao. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.

21 March 1946:
Departs Takao.

28 March 1946:
Arrives at Otaka. Disembarks troops and passengers.

2 April-15 April 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Kasado Zosen.

22 April 1946 :
Departs Kure.

4 May 1946:
Arrives at Saigon. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.

11 May 1946:
Departs Saigon.

22 May 1946:
Arrives at Otaka. Disembarks troops and passengers.

25 May 1946- 9 June 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Urabe.

12 June 1946:
Departs Kure.

17 June 1946:
Arrives at Korojima near Tsientsin. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.

20 June 1946:
Departs Korojima.

22 June 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.

1 July 1946:
Departs Hakata.

4 July 1946:
Arrives at Korojima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.

1949:
Transferred to the Maritime Safety Agency. Assigned as a lighthouse supply ship. While replenishing goods to lighthouses, SOYA becomes known as the “Santa Claus of the Sea”.

1 July 1950:
After major renovation, SOYA becomes the agency’s first Antarctic Research Ship.

(SOYA in 1950's)

1956-1962:
Makes six trips to Antarctica.

1956-1958:Rebuilt as a trials ship. Equipped with diesel engines and four helicopters. Displacement increases to 4,365-tons.

1958:
SOYA is carrying the second wintering party, but due to severe weather conditions cannot get near Syowa Station, the Japanese base for Antarctic research. The first wintering party stranded there is rescued by helicopter, but has to leave 15 Sakhalin huskies behind at the unmanned station.

1959:
A year later, SOYA returns to Syowa Station and finds two of the abandoned dogs, Taro and Jiro, still alive. [5]

(Museum of Maritime Science sculpture of Taro & Jiro)

3 October 1978:
Tokyo, Odiaba Bay. SOYA is moored at the Museum of Maritime Science as part of the museum's permanent exhibit.

[2] USS GREENLING’s patrol report conflicts with Japanese sources. LtCdr Grant misidentified SOYA as a 500-ton patrol craft. His PR says that he fired only one torpedo and that it ran under the target and did not explode. Japanese sources claim four torpedoes were fired and also give the date of the attack as 28 Jan '43 not 18 Jan '43.

[3] Allied occupation forces were responsible for the return of six million Japanese military personnel and civilians from Japan's defunct far-flung Empire. In addition, there were over a million Korean and about 40,000 Chinese prisoners and conscript laborers and approximately 7,000 Formosans and 15,000 Ryukyu Islanders to be repatriated.

Some Allied and many former IJN warships, from aircraft carriers to kaibokan, were used to facilitate the enormous repatriation effort. Japanese vessels and crews were used to the fullest extent possible to conserve Allied manpower and accelerate demobilization. Each ex-IJN ship first had to be demilitarized; guns removed or, in the case of large warships, barrels severed, ammunition landed, and radar and catapults removed, if fitted. Repatriation of the Chinese on Japanese ships began early in October from Hakata, but U.S. guard detachments had to be placed on many ships to prevent disorder because the Japanese crews could not control the returnees.

Japanese-run repatriation centers were established at Kagoshima, Hario near Sasebo, and Hakata near Fukuoka. Other reception centers were established and operated at Maizuru, Shimonoseki, Sasebo, Senzaki, Kure, Uraga, Yokohama, Moji and Hakodate. Allied line and medical personnel supervised the centers. Incoming Japanese were sprayed with DDT, examined and inoculated for typhus and smallpox, provided with food, and transported to his final destination in Japan.

[4] During her career as a repatriation transport, SOYA repatriates nearly 19,000 people, including settlers.

[5] The 2006 motion picture "Eight Below", in part, was loosely based on the story of the stranded huskies. A sculpture commemorating the event was erected in front of Tokyo Tower.

(Tokyo Tower commemorative sculpture)

Thanks for new info from BBKS in Revision 4 go to Luca "Luke" Ruffato G. A. Ruffato of Italy. Thanks for additional CO info in Revision 8 go to Matt Jones. Thanks also go to Gilbert Casse of France.